Card baseball game



1955 2 lSheets-Sh-Leec l July 27, 1937. c. E. sToWE CARD BASEBALL GAME Original Filed Sept. 16,

uw S. f @w July 27, 1937. c. E. s'rowE CARD BASEBALLGAME original Filed sept. 1e, 195s 2 sheets-sheet .2

Patented July 27, 1937 ITE!) STATES 2,088,492 v man BASEBALL GAME Charles E. Stowe, Frankfort, N. Y., assigner, by direct and mcsnc assignments, of one-fourth to Clarence D. Schaeffer, Jefferson, Iowa, and Williamson & Williamson,

one-fourth to Minneapolis, Minn., a firm consisting of James F. Williamson, Georg Ralph E. Williamson e F. Williamson, and

Application September 16, 1933, Serial No. 689,737

Renewed December 14, 1936 y i 3 Claims.

This invention relates to card games.

It is the main object of this invention to provide a novel and improved card game, whereby an athletic contest can be played skillfully by use of cards and the choice of the play of cards will bear close analogy to the choice of play and the sequence of plays in an athleticcontest to which the game applies.

More particularly it is the object of the invention to provide a novel and improved deck of cards for playing the game of baseball, the cards being so arranged that the play of the same will closely resemble the play in an actual game of baseball. v

A more detailed object is to provide a pack of cards for playing an athletic game, which cards are divided into a plurality of suits, the individual cards of which suits are consecutively numbered for relative ranking, certain cards of which pack each has printing thereon designating an oiTensive play in the game and a defensive play in the game, the oiTcnsive play counting in case the offensive player takes a trick by the card and the defensive play counting in case the defensive player takes a trick by use of the card.

A still more detailed object of the invention is to provide a card game for playing the game of baseball including a plurality of cards, which are ordinarily used in the game as the playing deck and another group of cards which may be designated the pinch hitter' deck and which are used at certain times according to rule when the oiiensive player at his discretion desires to use a pinch hitter in his line-up in the same manner that a pinch hitter would be used in an outdoor game of baseball.

Another object is to provide a game which can be played by one or more people, and which has simple rules and will provide an interesting and delightful amusement.

The objects and advantages of the invention will b-e fully set forth in the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings., wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and, in which,

Figs. l to 10 inclusive are plan views illustrating the faces of ten diierent typical cards of my pack of cards used in playing the game; and

il is a view on an enlarged scale illustrating in plan the face of an eleventh typical card.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a pack of fifty-two cards, thirty-six of which cards, typical of which are those cards illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3, 4A, 5, 6, 7 and 11, are

found in what I call my playing deck and sixteen of which cards, typical of which are the cards illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are found in what I call my pinch hitter deck.

The thirty-six cards in my playingdeck are divided up into four suits which I arbitrarily designate Bats, Bases, Diamonds and Balls, There are nine cards in each suit and the cards in each suit are numbered consecutively from 1 to.9 inclusive. For example, in Figs. 1 and 2, two of the cards in the Bats suit are illustrated.

Each of these cards has a pair of crossed bats I2 printed thereon near its upper left hand corner to show that it is one of the cards in the Bats suit. Similarly, the two cards illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 have printed thereon bases I3 near their upper left hand corners to show that these two cards are among those in the Bases suit. Correspondingly, the two cards illustrated in Figs. and 11 have printed thereon near their upper left hand corners diamonds designated by the numeral I4 to show that these cards are among those in the Diamonds suit. The cards illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 correspondingly have printed thereon near their upper left hand cornersballs designated by the numeral I5 to show that these cards belong to the Balls suit. The "Bats and Bases suit designations I2 and' I3 are printed in black as distinguished from the Diamonds and Balls suit designations I4 and I5, which are printed in red. In the drawings, the printed matter on the various cards is of such size in Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive, that the printed matter cannot be shaded according to the conventional shading to indicate black and red and the letters B and R with arrows running therefrom, are used to designate black and red printing respectively.

As was stated, the cards in the different suits of the playing deck are numbered from 1 to 9 consecutively and these numerals are placed on or adjacent to the various suit designations I2, I3, I4 and I 5 respectively, and the numerals have the same color as the suit designations of the cards on which they are applied.

Each card of the playing deck has printed thereon near its top, printing matter I6 in black designating one or more offensive plays in the game of baseball. Each card of the playing deck with the exception of the number I card of the Balls suit, illustrated in Fig. 6, has printed thereon in red, matter I1 designating a defensive play during the game of baseball.

Each card of the playing deck also has printed thereon an illustration I8 of a baseball diamond,

. ing the which illustration is a square having at the right hand corner a ve sided polygon representing home plate and having at the other three corners three small squares representing the first, second and third bases respectively. There is also printing matter I9 applied to most of the cards on or about the diamond illustration I8, which conventionally, diagrammatically represents a particular play in the playing eld other than a strike or a ball corresponding to the play designated by certain of the matter I6 or I'I found on the cards. Certain of the printing matter I9 consists of numbers and dots which represent the players in the eld involved in the play. Other of the printing matter I9 consists of arrows indicating the flight of the ball as it is thrown or the movement of a base runner. When the printing matter I9 includes blackenng of one or more of the bases of the diamond I8, this shows the number of bases for which a hit by a batter is good. There are also printed on the cards designations 20 which show in a conventional short-r hand used by sports writers what has taken place in the fleld during one of the plays designated by the printing matter I6 and I1 other than a ball or strike.

The pinch hitter deck, of which three typical cards are illustrated in Figs.. 8, 9 and l0 is generally very similar to the cards in the playing deck. There are preferably four of the pinch hitter cards having the Bats suit designation I2 thereon, four cards having the Base suit designation I3 thereon, four having the Diamond suit designation I4 thereon and four hav- Balls suit designation I5 thereon. These cards also have baseball diamond illustrations I8 printed thereon and printing matter I9 on or about the diamond illustrations. Also these cards have printing I6 and II and sometimes both I6 and II applied thereto, which designate offensive or defensive plays or both that may occur when a pinch hitter in a ball game is at bat. The cards also have the designations 20 thereon showing in conventional shorthand what has taken place in the eld during the play designated by the printing matter I6 or II or both. The cards of the pinch hitter deck are not necessarily numbered on or adjacent the suit designations I2, I3, I4 and I5 thereon, although numerals may be placed on these cards if desired.

The backs of the various cards may be plain faced or any attractive design may be printed thereon.

Although it is thought unnecessary to illustrate the faces of all the various cards of a pack, inasmuch as the cards illustrated are typical cards, it is thought advisable to designate the printing matter IE and II on all the various cards in the pack to enable others to make up aproper pack similar to the one preferably used. Below listed n quotation marks will be found the various printing matter I6 and I'I placed on each card, the words black and red indicating the color of ,the printing matter adjacent thereto.

Playing deck No. 4 card-Hit and run-single advances runners 2 bases black, (Or called strike) red.'

No. 5 card-Single scores runner from 2nd batter holds lst-other runners adv. 1 base only black, (Orcalled strike) red.

No. 6 card-Scratch hit single advances runners 1 base only black, "(Or called strike) red.

No. rIcard--JSteal 3rd only black, (Or called strike red, Or ball) black.

No. 8 card-Double steal 2nd and home only black, (Or called strike red, Or ba1l) black.

No. 9 card-Steal 2nd only black, (Or called strike red, Or bal1) black.

Bases suit.

No. 1 card-Safe at lst on throw from pitcher black, (Or foul strike) red.

No. 2 card-Passed ball runners advance to 2nd or 3rd only black, (Or foul strike" red, Or ball) black.

No. 3 card-Dropt 3rd strike runners advance if forced black, "(Or foul strike) red.

No. 4 card-Hit by pitched ball runners advance if forced black, (Or foul strike) red.

No. 5 card-Error by 2nd on throw from catcher red, Runners adv. 1 base black, (Or foul strike red, Or ball) black.

No. 6 card-Caught off 1st on throw from pitcher red, (Or foul strike red, Or ball) black.

No. '7 card-Base on balls black, (Or foul strike) red.

No. 8 card-Sacrifice bunt black, Out pitcher to 1st red, (Or foul strike red, Or ball) black.4

No. 9 card-Out y to RF red, Runners advance to 3rd or home black, (Or foul strike red, "Or ball) black.

Diamonds suit.

No. 1 card-Out-lst to any base red, Other runners advance if forced, black.

No. 2 card-Out-stealing 2nd catcher to 2nd, red, Runners advance to home only, black, (Or called strike, red, or ball) black.

No. 3 card-Double play SS to 2nd to 1st only red, Other runners advance 1 base black, (Or swung strike red, Or ball) black.

No. 4 card-Out fly to RF red, Runners advance to 3rd only black, (Or ball) black.

No. 5 card-Out fly to CF red, Runners advance to home only black. (Or ball) black.

No. 6 card-Out fly to SS-no runners advance red, (Or ball) black.

No. 7 card-Out fly to LF red, Runners advance to home only black, (Or ball) black.

No. 8 card-Out 2nd to 1st red, Other runners adv. 1 base black, (Or ball) black.

No. 9 card-Out SS to 1st red, Other runners advance 1 base black (Or ball) black.

Balls suit.

No. l card-Strike out (swung) no runners advance red.

No. 2 card-Out foul to catcher no runners advance red, (Or ball) black.

No. 3 card-Any infield double play red, Other runners adv. 1 base black, (Or swung strike red, Or ball) black.

No. 4 card-Out ily to LF no runners advance unless double runner at home red, When other runners adv. 1 base black, (Or ball) black.

aosaa No. 5 card-Out y to CF no runners advance unless double runner off 2nd red, Other runner adv. 1 base black, (Or ball) black.

No. 6 card-Out fly to RF red, Runners advance to 3rd only, black, (Or ball) black.

No. 7 card-Out 3rd to any base no runners advance red, (Or ball), black.

No. 8 card-Out SS to any base no runners advance red, (Or ball) black.

No. 9 card-Out 2nd to any base no runners advance red, (Or ball) black.

Pinch hitter deck Bats suit.

A card-"Home run (pinch hitter) black.

A card-Triple (pinch hitter) black.

A card- Double advances runners 2 bases only (pinch hitter) black.

A card- Single advances runners 1 base only (pinch hitter) black.

Bases suit.

A card-Error on any position card played runners advance 1 base only (pinch hitter) black, or Fly out to LF red, Runner advances to home only", black.

A card-Base on balls (pinch hitter) black.

A card-Out f'ly to CF red, Runners advance to home only" black (Pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out y to RF red, Runners advance to 3rd only black, (Pinch hitter) red.

Diamonds suit.

A card-Out foul to 1st no runners advance (pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out 3rd to 1st red, Other runners advance 1 base black, "(Pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out 2nd to 1st red, Other runners adv. 1 base, black, (Pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out SS to 1st, red, Other runners adv. 1 base black, (Pinch hitter) red.

Balls suit.

A card-Strike out (swung) no runners advance (pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out fly to 3rd no runners advance (pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out fly to 2nd no runners (pinch hitter) red.

A card-Out fly to 1st no runners advance (pinch hitter) red.

Rules Assuming that two peopleare playing the game, briefly the rules of play are as follows:- The pinch hitter deck is rst separated from advance the playing deck and laid to one side inasmuch as the playing deck is in constant use while the pinch hitter deck is but seldom used. Preferably a box score pad is provided similar to that used in keeping score in a regular game of baseball and having the players of the two teams listed at the left and having squares opposite the name of each player of each team for each inning of the game.

Preliminary to play, it is decided by lot as to which player shall have his team at bat and which player shall have his team in the field during the first frame of the first inning. The player whose team is in the field will deal (pitch) until three outs are obtained on the player whose team is at bat. of the first inning, whereupon the player whose team has been previously in the eld will be at bat during the second frame of the rst inning and the player whose team has previously-been the trick;

This will complete the first frame at bat will be in the field and deal (pitch) until three outs are obtained against his opponent. The players will thus continue to alternate dealing until nine innings have been played andone team is ahead of the other` in runs or until additional innings have been played and one team is ahead of the other in runs.

At the beginning of the game the dealer, i. e. the defensive player (having his team in the field) deals nine cards to each player. The play then begins. The dealer will first lead out a card whereupon the player at bat i. e. the offensive player, will play one card to complete a trick. Naturally the dealer attempts to secure three outs on his opponent while permitting his opponent to secure as few runs' as possible. 0n the other hand, the player whose team is at bat attempts to secure by play of the cards as many runs as possible before three outs are called on him. The play in general follows the rules of the outdoor game of baseball.

After the dealer (pitcher) has played a card, his opponent must follow suit if this is possible. If he cannot follow suit the player whose team is at bat must trump the pitchers lead by playing a trump card if possible. The trumpsuit is the Bats suit, i. e. the cards in the suit having crossed bats designation l2 printed thereon. In the play of the game where the batter follows suit by playing a card from the suit led by the pitcher, the highest card in that particular suit layed will take the trick. If on the other hand, a card from a particular suitis led by the pitcher and the batter cannot follow suit and plays a trump card, the trump card Will take the trick. Of course, if the batter can neither follow suit nor trump, he may throw off a card from another suit,

It is the card taking the trick that counts for the player playing that card. If thetrlck is taken by the pitcher, there is considered to have taken place a play in the game corre-v .the trick. It willv be noted that on certain oi' the cards, there is more than one group of printlng matter I6 or I1 on the card. For example, consider the card shown in Fig. 2. If the trick is taken by this card, the 9 of Bats by the pitcher, the pitcher is considered to have thrown the ball to the batter and the umpire is considered to have called a strike to count one strike against the batter. If on the other hand, the trick is taken by this same card by the batter, the pitcher is considered to have thrown the ball to the batter in such a manner that the umpire has called one ball on the batter. If at this time during the play of the game there happens to be a, player of the batters team on 1st base, this man is considered to have stolen 2nd base. If there is no player on 1st base, of course, it is t impossible for a player to steal 2nd and the printf.

whereupon the pitcher will take v a new player comes to bat, naturally the tricks previously played when the previous batter was at bat will be gathered together and thrown into the discard.

The play is continued with the nine. cards originally dealt to each player until such time as three out have been declared against the batting team or until there are no more cards in the hands of the two players. When the players have no more cards, six additional cards are dealt to each player and the game continues as before. If the team at bat is not retired after the six additional cards have been played, the remaining cards in the playing deck are dealt out and if these cards are not sufficient to retire the team at bat, all the discards of the playing deck will be gathered together, shuffled and dealt and played as originally.

Each player during a nine inning game is entitled to change pitchers three times during a nine inning game and five times during a game running into more than nine innings, while his team is in the field, except if a pinch hitter be used in place of a pitcher, the new pitcher needed will not count as one, of three pitchers allowed in a game of 9 innings or less or one of ve pitchers allowed in a game of no matterhow many extra innings. When the team in the eld desires to change pitchers, this may be done by the player, representing that team, throwing his hand into the discard, and dealing himself a new hand consisting of the same number of cards as the number discarded.

It is possible for each player to use three pinch hitters during each game of nine innings and five pinch hitters during a game of more than nine innings. In order for the batting team to put in a pinch hitter in place of va regular player in the line-up, the batting team must be behind in the score, out of suit led and trumps in his hand and the player for whom the pinch hitter is to be substituted must be other than the 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th batter in the. line-up of the team batting. When a pinch hitter is put in,

any balls or strikes on the particular batter for whom the pinch hitter is to be substituted are disregarded. The pinch hitter deck is then cut by the player having the team at bat and the printing matter I6 and I1 found on the card which is cut determines the fate of the particular pinch hitter put into the line-up. The pinch hitter deck is only used at such a time when a pinch hitter is put at bat by the team batting.

After a player has played several games with the cards, he soon becomes accustomed to the comparative values of the different cards and he carefully uses his discretion in playing his cards so as to use them to the best advantage. AThe game is, therefore, a game of skill requiring judgment on the part of the players. vThe printing matter I6 and I'I on the different cards is so arranged that when the game is played Aintelligently, the play closely follows the play in a regular outdoor baseball game. A complete box score may be kept showing the hits, runs, errors, assists, put outs, etc. of each player.

If desired, for use in playing the game, a baseball diamond may be laid out on a piece of paper or on a card and a number of pegs may be used to show the runners on bases so as to better keep track of the play of the game.

Although the invention has been described in 4 connection with a card game for playing the game of baseball, it will be seen that it can be readily adapted for use in playing other althletic contest games. It is within the scope of the invention to change the printing matter I6 and I'I on the various cards for use in playing other athletic games and to diagram the different plays on the cards properly in place of the diagrams I8 and I9. The particular rsuit designations chosen are merely arbitrarily suit designations. Any other type of suit designations could be satisiactorily used. If desired, more than two players can play the game. Partners can be chosen and the cards can be so distributed as they are dealt that certain of the partners hold some of the cards while others hold some of the cards and the different partners can take turns play-l ing. Also if desired, there' may be a player for each player on a baseball team and when the particular baseball player comes to bat, the person representing that player may take the hand and play the cards as his discretion dictates in the same manner that a baseball player at bat uses his discretion in batting. i

Of course, it is not essentialy that the pinch hitter deck be used inplaying the game. When this deck is used, however, it adds interest to the game.

It will also be appreciated that if desired, the printing matter found near one end of the card may be duplicated near the other end of the card in order to make the card easier to read when held in a players hand.

It will be understood that if desired, the printing matter I6 and I'I can be eliminated entirely from the various cards and the diamond diagram I8 together with the diagram of the play in the eld I9 may be used exclusively to show the particular play in the eld. If no diagram I9 adjacent the diamond diagram I8 is found on a particular card, it will be-known that if the player at bat takes a trick with the particular card. it will be considered that a ball is called by the umpire against the batter. On the other hand, if the player in the field takes a trick with the particular card, it will be known that the batter has struck at a ball and failed to conneet with it or that a strike has been called on the batter by the umpire. It is, accordingly, not absolutely essential that the printing matter I6 4and I1 be applied to the cards, although this is desirable.

It will, of course, be understood that changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various cards and in the printing matter thereon and in the rules of the game without departing from the scope of the present invention, which generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

l. A pack of cards for playing an athletic contest game, comprising a. plurality of series of c'onsecutively numbered cards, each series of said cards having a diierent suit designation printed thereon, each card having thereon a printed designation indicating an offensive play in the game and also having thereon a printed designation indicating a defensive play in the game.

2. A pack of cards as specified in claim 1, each card being further distinguished by having the printing designating th-e offensive play printed in one color and by having the printing designating the defensive play printed in another conplaying deck being further divided into a plurality of suits, the cards in each suit having a distinctive suit designation printed thereon and being consecutively numbered, each card of the playing deck having a printed designation indcating an offensive play in the game of baseball and each card in the playing deck also having thereon a printed designation indicating a defensive play in the game of baseball and each card of said pinch hitter deck having printed thereon a play in baseball vcorresponding to a play that may be made when a pinch hitter is 5 at bat.

CHARLES E. STOWE. 

